Students involved in attempted robbery at Rice Memorial High School

South Burlington Police are investigating an attempted robbery at Rice Memorial High School involving two juvenile students where one injured another with a knife.

The incident happened just before 8 a.m. on Sept. 6. South Burlington Police and Fire were called to the private high school on Proctor Avenue for a reported assault. Investigators soon learned that the assault happened during an attempted robbery, according to Deputy Police Chief Shawn Burke in a press release.

Burke said the victim, age 16, was treated at school for a minor injury to his hand that occurred during the attempted robbery.

The suspect, age 17, was armed with what Burke called “a large kitchen knife,” that he used against the victim in a “dispute over property.”

Police said the 17-year-old suspect in the case voluntarily met with them and it appeared that the suspect and victim were not acquainted. The investigation is still ongoing but police said they believe the incident involved only the two students.

Burke told the Shelburne News that the suspect has been charged but he was not certain on Wednesday whether the charges were filed with Family Court or Vermont District Court. The Chittenden County State’s Attorney would not confirm the case or whether any charges were filed in adult or juvenile court.

Burke, whose 14-year-old son is a student at Rice, commended the response in the situation by school officials. “School administrators responded to this event in a proactive manner taking adequate precautions to keep their community safe,” Burke wrote.

He explained in an interview that the incident happened just as the school day began and school officials had students remain in their first-period classes while the police responded to the incident.

The confrontation between the two students occurred in what Burke described as a “semi-private area on the first floor” of the school.

A spokeswoman for Rice said school officials had no comment on the incident.

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